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Modular Game Engine/Objects
Gimmicks Mainly environmental hazards and traps, but gimmick goes for anything that can be interacted, from a simple button or switch that turns the light on/off to a trap that causes a giant boulder roll in a corridor that ends in a pit full of spikes and acid. While some items can be considered traps, like mines and caltrops, and traps can be technically considered items if they are used by the player like the DOS game Dominus and the Deception series, there are traps that are set as interactive map details that can't be removed by the player. Enviromental hazard like lava and acid is by default set as a map element that causes lava/chemical damage on contact, but can be customized to be a trap for more specific gameplay purposes, like the Elemental Trap setting. Note that not every object in a map needs to be a gimmick to have interaction, only if the interaction is advanced. The maker can have an object as part of the map and place an invisible or hidden object to act as the interaction, like having the player check and comment about an object in the map. Gimmick Settings *Function - The gimmick's purpose. Doesn't affect gameplay, being only a category to make it easier to find gimmicks when making the game. Can also have multiple functions, like bear claws holding a target and causing serious damage. **Damage - A hazard that causes damage, be it a single hit, multiple hits, continuous, or lethal **Capture - Set to slow down or capture targets. **Distraction - Is used to confuse, surprise, or get in the way of targets. While technically not gimmicks, the Assist Trophies Nintendogs and Resetti from the Super Smash Bros. series are good examples. *Position - Can spin the object in 90 degrees to set its position on the floor (default), walls, or ceiling. Also has a "reset to default position" button. **Advanced Position - Not used by default, but if the maker wants to spin the object in more angles and different axis, this option can used in place of the default Position option. **Fixed - Sets if the object is stuck on its place or is affected by gravity. On by default, as off would make wall and ceiling objects fall. Can also be triggered to have it turn on/off to make chandeliers fall and boulders roll down a la Indiana Jones. *Trigger - By default, objects are set to activated when touched, but the game maker can add other object or item (a button, switch, wire, ...) to cause its activation, connecting the two objects to make one unique object. **Contact - The default type, simple and easy to use. **Approach - Activates when a character gets within a set range. **Damage - The gimmick activates when hit. ***Status - This setting is used to give status such as HP and DEF to the gimmick, which is not visible to players by default. Off by default, meaning it can't be damaged. ***Weakness - The gimmick can be disabled by set conditions, like flooding a fiery pit to turn it into a healing hot spring. **Other - For advanced customization. *Method **Auto - The default type, the gimmick activates automatically. **Manual - The gimmick can be activated manually from a safe distance, like a wall button and a remote control. **Timed - The trap turns on/off on a set interval, like retractable spikes, or only on or off after a countdown, like bombs. **Continuous - The gimmick is always active, unless other setting get on the way. For example, a door is always closed, and will only open if a button is pressed, so one must place a heavy object on the button to pass. Can be combined with Timed Trigger to make things like a drawbridge that slowly opens (or closes if electronic) due to what keeps it closed being damaged. **Limited - Once activated, the gimmick will not work again. Note that depending of its settings, traps may still be a problem: A retractable spike is as dangerous as a normal spike if it turns off while the spikes are out, but is no longer a danger if it goes off while retracted. **Other - For advanced customization. *Retractable - The gimmick "moves" from a set position when a condition is met, like the spikes in Prince of Persia appearing when approached and some spikes in the first Sonic the Hedgehog being timed. *Transparency - The gimmick is invisible or barely visible for some reason, like camouflage. WIP Gimmick Types *Elemental Gimmick - Fire and Lava are common hazards, and so is electricity, which is more dangerous when combined with water. *Status Gimmick - The trap causes status ailments to the target, like Bear Claws causing the "Don't Move", shrink rays that cause Shrink, and poisoned arrows that cause Poison. *Obstacle - Boulders and other objects can either stand in the way until removed (i.e. Strength from Pokémon and Chris from Resident Evil ''). Can be set to be interacted with set conditions, like only cutting weapons or abilities removing a tree in the way or characters with Strength above a set value being the only ones able to push/pull or lift/throw it. For more specific gameplays like the ''Pokémon example, can be set to only be interacted with one item or ability, in this case Strength. Can also be set to cause damage on contact, from barbed fences causing a small pierce damage to a lavafall causing severe lava damage to those who try to cross it. Gravity is offor coming down slopes (Indiana Jones). *Spikes - In the floor, wall, or ceiling, and or varying material. Common in games, spikes usually cause heavy damage or are lethal. And it's not limited by its name, anything with a similar function, like retractable spears and drills, goes here. * **Cutter - Rotating circular saw blades and propellers are common examples. Guillotines too. While there isn't a slippery terrain option, they are available as map elements, a graphic with it allowing one to reproduce ice, oil, and wet floor. *Crusher - Press, trash compactor, moving walls (optionally with spikes), ... Anything that will crush the player between two spaces. *Shot - The trap shots an object, like poisoned arrows. *Movement **Rise - Rises characters, from a harmless elevator to a spring or catapult that hurls the victim high enough to cause lethal fall damage or against a spiked wall. **Fall - The device causes the victim to fall down or sink, like pitfalls (the character's fall speed) and quicksand ("falls" slowly). **Push/Pull - Vacuums, magnets, and moving surfaces that push or pull the character a set speed and from a set distance. Quite bad when combined with crushers. **Teleport - The target is sent somewhere else, like being sent to a cell in the lower floors or being banished to another dimension. *Container - Box, Barrel, Drum Can, ... Depending of its size and content, can be used to hide inside (i.e. the Cardboard Boxes in Metal Gear Solid) or to cause damage (shooting a can with the oil element will cause it to explode, causing explosion type damage to its surrounding area and a chance of causing the burned status). Can also contain items inside, like Final Fight. *Other - Advanced customization for original settings. Category:Modular Game Engine